Ivy PreparatoryA student-led, nonpartisan alliance starting political conversations across New York's Ivy Preparatory schools.
Our mission is to foster political conversations on campus, educating students and preparing them to navigate a polarizing political world. We never tell anyone which viewpoint is “correct.”
Real disagreement, heard out loud. A conversation where everyone agrees teaches no one.
Topics and questions approved by each school, so every event is a resource, not an echo chamber.
Discussions that lead to more questions, and to more students getting involved in civic life.
We don't endorse candidates. Chapters follow each school's discourse policy and never override it. When a school asks, we offer a student-led recommendation for its political discourse policy.
“Free speech and education are the cornerstones of democracy. We enforce our values to an absolute and non-negotiable standard.”
Each chapter is a student-run club with an independent faculty advisor, named “Ivy Preparatory Political Alliance, [School] Chapter.” Chapters run their own events. Schools marked with an X don't have a student leader yet. Want to lead one?
Fieldston
Operations: Ryan Shames
Horace Mann
Operations: Ryan Shames
Riverdale
Operations: Ryan Shames
Collegiate
Operations: Ryan Shames
Trinity
Operations: Leo Robbins
Dalton
Operations: Leo Robbins
Poly Prep
Operations: Leo Robbins
A Board of Directors oversees the alliance. Two chief operating officers each support a group of chapters.
Beckett Shaftel
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Ryan Shames
Chief Operating Officer: Fieldston, Horace Mann, Riverdale, Collegiate
Leo Robbins
Chief Operating Officer: Trinity, Dalton, Poly Prep
A small group of three to six students sits in an inner circle and discusses a topic. Everyone else listens from the outer circle.
Speakers Listeners
200+
students attended the first fishbowl
On February 10, 2026, the Republican and Democrat clubs at Ethical Culture Fieldston School ran a fishbowl on four topics:
Every school-wide IPPA conversation is checked against four tests.
It has to allow disagreement. Without it, no one learns past one person's views.
Only topics and questions approved by the school's administration. Zero tolerance for going off script.
Good conversations raise new questions, and can shape courses and student involvement.
It has to make a lasting difference at every school, not just one.
When a political representative speaks, attendance can't be mandatory unless the other side is on stage too. If a Democratic senator speaks at an assembly, a Republican speaker joins them.
A chapter can host a single speaker during club time and invite the school, but attendance is always optional.
First 2 months
At least 3 informational meetings at each school
First 5 months
One school-wide fishbowl or approved discussion event per chapter
Within 2 years
A political representative visits every school
We're applying for 501(c)(4) nonprofit status. Once it's granted, we'll accept donations from inside and outside the Ivy Prep community.
Ask about givingBringing political representatives from both sides to campus.
Fishbowls, informational meetings and follow-up surveys at each school.
No school or student ever pays to run a chapter.
Student volunteers will be able to earn community service hours.
How chapters run, what schools control, and what happens when a conversation goes wrong.
No. Our students and advisors come from across the political spectrum. We never endorse a candidate, though we may help with a campaign when asked, and we never teach that one viewpoint is correct.
Students. Each chapter is a club run by students, with a teacher serving as an independent faculty advisor. One of our chief operating officers supports each chapter.
Never. Chapters follow each school's discourse policy, and a school's rules win whenever they differ from ours. We only offer recommendations when a school asks.
We have zero tolerance for hate speech. The person is removed from the event, and chapter leaders alert the IPPA within 24 hours. If a comment is severe, the whole event is paused and continued later. Discipline stays entirely with the school.
Speaker events can only be required when both sides are represented. Otherwise attendance is always optional.
Short online forms after events, and closing questions at the end of each discussion about what to keep and what to improve.
Students, faculty and families are all welcome to reach out. We'll reply from our team inbox.
